Customer Reviews

Slipway Fires

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is very much an updated Billy Joel sound, to me. Though that's not my taste at all, if you like Billy Joel, I think you'll like this.

Have a quick look at the cover of Slipway Fires. The band pix, intentionally or not, pretty much give away what this album is about: glossy 70's style pop, influenced by the Stones, Abba, Smashing Pumpkins, and the Beatles.

Even though there isn't anything terribly challenging or innovative about any of the songs, the disc is a well-produced effort with a pleasant commercial sound. It's the sort of thing one often hears in the background at a [insert name of your favorite yuppie retailer or coffee chain here] or sees mentioned in the cursory "Music and Movies" section of women's fashion magazines. As a matter of fact, the band does a fair bit of fashionista name-dropping in the liner notes.

Bottom line: Slipway Fires is neither outstanding nor terrible. Razorlight has made a record that is nice enough to listen to but doesn't leave any sort of lasting impression. Listen to the samples before taking the plunge, unless you're the sort of person who lets fashion models and designer muses tell you what to buy--then feel free to jump on the bandwagon until the next flavor-of-the-month comes along. 3.5 stars.

Razorlight's third release, Slipway Fires, has a strong traditional rock flavor to the album. I can only guess this was intended to broaden their appeal and make them accessible to those who traditionally don't listen to alternative rock. In fact, most of this album is what I would call just plain old rock until you reach the sixth track, "60 Thompson." There is nothing wrong with that, but Razorlight fans, such as myself, who were looking forward to the raw energy of their other albums may be left scratching their heads with this one. This album has some good songs on it, but it feels more like a collection of songs than a coherent album. Even though it has grown on me, I prefer songs on their other albums to this one. I even prefer the second album, which has been put down a lot. Even though this album has a much higher quality production to it, it feels like something was lost in the process of cleaning them up for this release.

There are a lot of songs on this album that sound like other bands. "You & The Rest" has a Violent Femmes sort of feel to it. The first part of "Tabloid Lover" is reminiscent of early Talking Heads, but the Chorus sounds more like the early Beatles. "Stinger" sounds more like the Moody Blues, and "Burberry Blue Eyes" could have easily been an Elvis Costello cover. "Blood For Wild Blood" sounds like a hybrid between INXS & U2 sung over a church organ. In fact the last track sounds so much like a Billy Joel song I had to check the writing credits. I didn't like all these songs the first time around but a few of them grew on me.

Track 10, "Monster Boots," sounded most like what I expected to hear from Razorlight, and it's probably my favorite track on this album. I also like "60 Thompson" though I did feel like it was almost too short. Even "Hostage of Love" grew on me, and that song proves that not everything on this album is mellow. Even though I enjoy a lot of those classic sounding tracks, only a few of them will make it onto my personal playlists.

I will definitely buy Razorlight's next album, but I hope they get back some of the raw energy they seem to have relinquished with this release. You can use various sites to preview these songs before buying this album, and this might be a case where you will be better served to download the tracks you like instead of buying the whole album. As somebody who usually buys a lot of albums, that's a painful recommendation for me to make about a band I like. I do think that those who like mainstream rock more than alternative may find this album to be a palatable cross-over introduction.

Enjoy.

Amazon's Vine Program introduced me to Razorlight and "Slipway Fires", the band's third album. I did my research before I sat down to right this review. Listened to the album multiple times before formulating an opinion--check. Reading the reviews on the album by other periodicals--check. Reading up on the origin of the band and their previous albums--check.

With all this in mind, one thing I did not do was listen to their first two albums. I went into this completely neutral. I have to say I don't understand all the negative press surrounding "Slipway Fires". More than half the songs are melodic and memorable. The cd is short and sweet, just like I like them. The first two singles are great--"Wire To Wire" is a fine ballad with interesting lyrics delivered in fine passionate form. The second single "Hostage Of Love" also catchy and memorable and a change of pace being more uptempo. The third track, "You And The Rest" could easily be another single.

I see that the band is more popular overseas, in their native U.K., and other parts of Europe, but they are relatively unknown in the U.S. I think if the band received more promotion here they would be more popular. "Tabloid Lover", "North London Trash", "60 Thompson", "Burberry Blue Eyes", "Monster Boots" and "The House" are all great songs. The only weak tracks are "Stinger" and "Blood For Wild Blood", but hey, no one is perfect.

So, the bottom line is this: If you haven't listened to this band, you should do yourself a favor and check them out. If you're a fan, you should give this another chance (assuming you didn't like it compared to the band's first two outings). I give "Slipway Fires" four stars because it's enjoyable, memorable and the lyrics and vocals are interesting enough. The band reminds me of Crowded House, another band you ought to check out if you aren't familiar with them.

Rzaorlight is the latest in a line of bands that seem to thread the needled between indie rock and adult contemporary. Generally I lean towards heavier and louder rock, but Razorlight scratches the itch for good music to listen to while reading a book or driving home after a long day at work.

The beats generally drive, but the rest of the instruments stay somewhat subdued. The lead singer also does a nice job of pouring himself into the songs without sounding overwraught. Overall it is a good album and one that I have a feeling I'll continue to come back to over the years.

Fans of college or indie rock will probably enjoy Razorlight's latest CD, "Slipway Fires."

The simple, clean production of this album is a definite plus, and highlights the band nicely. I was pleasantly surprised by the jazzy pop feel of the first track, but as the album wore on I could definitely feel the college rock vibe. In some places it felt sort of 70s-ish to me, sort of reminiscent of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler's signature songwriting style. The band is tight (the drummer is terrific!), but toward the end of the album the songs got a little repetitive. Not just in songwriting style, but also in production (was it really necessary to start three songs in a row with vocal only and very light instrumentation?).

Overall, a good album, but not something I'd listen to over and over again. Check this one out from the library or borrow from a friend first, unless you're already a die hard Razorlight fan.

This European rock quartet received high acclaim in the U.K. back in 2004 when their first album, "Up All Night" went triple platinum there. They have also supported "Queen" and the "Rolling Stones", such is their popularity overseas. Their music is a combination of piano-fueled love songs, "Wire To Wire" to folksy rock anthemic lamentations as in "Hostage In Love". Each song contains a story and rides high on a steady beat and a surety of the strong rising band.

There are hints of "Crowded House" and "Black Crowes", but the sound is distinctly "Razorlights" own. "Monster Boots" runs away with ferocious fervor as the relentless drummer pounds away and the vocals spin wildly. On the flip-side, "The House" is a sad ballad that sets Razorlight ahead of most bands afraid to show dynamic range. Another rocker that shifts pace surprises at every bridge and riff is "Tabloid Lover", a surefire concert satisfier. "Stinger" is bluesy and emotional with a steady beat that will have you nodding your head in accompaniment.

Not shy with lyrics (listen to "North London Trash") or style (just about every song is distinctly its own), Razorlight is one of the hottest bands yet to be fully appreciated in the States. The latest single as of this date is "Wire To Wire" and its only a matter of short time before Razorlight is a huge hit in the old USA.

Slipway Fires is the third CD from the London based group Razorlight; however, it is a work that shows a band still struggling to find its identity. The songs "Wire To Wire" and "The House" seem like attempts to channelColdplay and ride their coattails of success, but these songs never rights those loft heights. In part this is because Johnny Borrell doesn't have the chops of Chris Martin. Another band whose influence shows up on Slipway Fires is Stray Cats. While it is moresubtle on "You And The Rest", "North London Trash" seems like a second rate attempt patterned after "Stray Cat Strut". Finally, "Tabloid Lover" sounds like it could have come from Keane's latest CD Perfect Symmetry. Borrell hits the same annoying falsetto tones that Tom Chaplin uses. As you can tell, Slipway Fires is a CD that lacks cohesion. That's not to say that there is nothing of merit on the CD. The single "Hostage Of Love" shows promise, and this is not coincidentally a track whereRazorlight doesn't seem to be trying to be someone else. Another track worthy of mention is "Burberry Blue Eyes". Also, "Wire To Wire" and "North London Trash" are not bad songs in of themselves, but they just don't seem to fit very well on the same CD. Razorlight has potential, but they must find their true identity if they are going to be a band that can stand on their own.

Download this: Hostage Of Love

I'd never heard of Razorlight before, but I liked this album almost immediately. I've had the CD on perpetual play, and really enjoy their sound.

It's hard to compare them to one specific artist, since their music is infused with a little bit of lots of genres. Parts of their songs remind me of U2, other parts have a bluesy feel, some of their music comes across as standard rock, other parts sound a little folksy or alternative.

I was actually worried that I wasn't going to like their work, going by the clips that I was able to listen to on the product page. Now that I've gotten the CD, I definitely think they're worth a listen, as they've really got a good sound. "North London Trash" is running through my head as I write this, and there are plenty of other songs on this album that are very catchy and stick with you.

So far, I've listened to the album multiple times over the past few days, and have yet to find a track that I DON'T like. I can see this one being placed in my "regular rotation" collection. Good stuff! Give it a listen!

I'm not sure if this alt/indie cd would appreciate being called pleasant but this is my first exposure to the band. It seems more pop/ than alt?
But I enjoyed it and as is typical some tracks more than others 'wire for wire' was great and flowy and 60 thompson is becoming my fav.
I'll probably order another cd